Health and nutrition supplements can be an invaluable addition to your diet. When shopping for supplements, look for those that have been third-party tested and boast seals from US Pharmacopeia, NSF International or Informed Choice.
Heavy users of supplemental vitamins and minerals tend to shop at health food stores, read specialized nutrition literature and believe they have direct control of their own health.
What are they?
Dietary supplements are vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids or botanicals taken to enhance health and improve wellbeing. You can buy them over-the-counter. A supplement may be needed if your diet lacks essential vitamins such as iron for anemia or folic acid to prevent birth defects; or perhaps to treat or lower risk for health conditions like heart disease (fish oil can reduce this risk).
The FDA monitors and oversees dietary supplement markets, making sure no harmful ingredients or dangers exist in products sold on store shelves, and that product labels contain accurate information.
Diets provide all the nutrients your body requires, but if you require supplements for any reason, please inform your health care providers so they can advise which ones are safe to take and in what amounts.
How do they work?
The FDA does not perform safety reviews before marketing dietary supplements to consumers; however, under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), any firm who manufactures or distributes them must notify the agency in advance about any claims about structure/function claims, classic deficiency diseases or general well-being benefits made about their product. Otherwise they risk legal action from the agency for making false or misleading representations.
Studies conducted by medical practitioners provide the strongest evidence that supplements may be helpful, with researchers typically comparing those taking and not taking products. Randomized controlled clinical trials offer more reliable data, where people are randomly assigned either the product or placebo and researchers monitor their health over time.
Registered dietitians advise their clients to seek nutrition through food first because it contains an array of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that work synergistically for good health. But sometimes supplements are needed for specific nutrients that cannot be obtained easily from foods alone such as vitamin A or zinc.
Do they work for me?
As supplements are not subject to rigorous FDA testing like medications are, “we won’t know if something is harmful until someone gets sick,” Seres laments. Companies cannot be forced to demonstrate that their products work, although good manufacturing practices must still be observed; making it hard to be certain your supplements contain what their labels claim they contain.
As many nutrients have an upper limit, exceeding it can be detrimental. Furthermore, as certain supplements could interact with medications prescribed to you by a healthcare provider. It is always important to inform them about any supplements taken and ensure you inform your physician as soon as possible of their presence in your diet.
Overall, most generally healthy individuals do not require taking dietary supplements at the levels advertised on labels. They should focus on including fruits, vegetables and whole grains in their diet instead. And if there is evidence of nutritional deficiency, health care professionals can assist them in selecting which supplements would work for them and provide safe doses recommendations.
Are they safe?
While certain supplements can be effective, others carry risks. High doses of certain vitamins may lead to adverse side effects or even toxicity; and certain ingredients in supplements could interact with medications taken by a patient. Registered dietitians advise choosing whole food options first for maximum nutrition and health benefits.
Only a fraction of the over 9000 different health and nutrition supplements currently on the market have been rigorously assessed for safety and efficacy. Many have unsubstantiated claims, while some could even be harmful, according to Pieter Cohen, MD, a preventive medicine specialist at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital on Anschutz Medical Campus.
Companies looking to launch new dietary supplement sales in the US must notify the FDA, but once products hit shelves they face limited oversight by this body. It will only act in response to consumer complaints or serious illnesses linked to certain supplements; European Union countries impose stricter rules regarding their use.
